It Was a Dark and Stormy Night
by 123-000
Summary: It's a cold, harsh winter and the Professor and Luke get caught in the snow. They meet a lost girl on the way home and soon make friends.


It Was a Dark and Stormy Night

A snow storm like no other had hit Britain, radio broadcasters were claiming it to be the worst winter in 100 years. The general public were advised not to travel, if at all possible, and most didn't even dare venture outside.  
However, "time stands still for no man", as somebody wise said at some point in the past and two gentlemen found themselves caught out in the cold, a long walk away from home.  
"it..it's f..f...freezing Professor" the young boy stuttered into his scarf, looking pleadingly up at the adult gentleman, who pulled the boy's coat a little tighter around his small frame and looked sympathetically at him,  
"I know Luke, and I am sorry we've ended up much further from home than we had planned. But the faster we walk the sooner we'll be back indoors."  
Luke nodded with determination. His ears and nose were red from the frosty air biting at them. The professor smiled at him;  
"I know, lets make it easier by thinking of it as a puzzle!"  
In spite of himself, Luke smiled, the professor was predictable when it came to turning everything in life into a puzzle but at times like this it was comforting.  
"The city is laid out in a grid Luke, and we need to get to the other side of this block in order to continue our journey. The block is exactly equal on all sides. What is the fastest way to the other side?"  
The boy stopped dead in his tracks to think,  
"I've got it! We go through the train station. That way we don't have to walk all the way around either side, and it'll be warmer."  
"Correct!" The Professor smiled as his young protégé jumped with excitement at having got the right answer first time. He really was proud of the boy. The pair scurried into the train station building out of the flurries of snow. Inside, the station was eerily quiet.  
"well this is unusual," stated the Professor, looking around at the near empty train station.  
"Look professor, there aren't even any TRAINS" Luke observed with amazement. A passing conductor with no train to be on explained that all services had been cancelled due to the unsafe weather conditions, it was a rare occurrence, but a necessary one. Upon quizzing the two gents on where they were trying to get to, it was a relief to them all that they were just taking a shortcut and not expecting to catch a train. They went on their way. Or at least, Luke did, until he noticed that the Professor was not following along beside him and stopped to turn around.  
As much as he adored the man, sometimes being gentlemanly irked Luke, especially in cold train stations at night when, instead of hurrying on home to sit by the fire a "Gentleman's Duty" dictates that he must go and try to help a lost looking young lady that was staring helplessly at the train timetables. Mixed with the annoyance, was a rush of joy that here was an excellent opportunity to impress his elder a little, by also being a Gentleman.  
After all, Professor Layton always, ALWAYS insisted on being kind towards ladies in trouble, and he was sauntering over to the lost girl. Luke all but ran across the stone floor, sliding in his wet boots to be just ahead of the Professor and spoke to the girl.  
"Hello!"  
She looked around, then down at Luke.  
"Oh, hello there..."  
Layton, who was only steps behind appeared beside Luke, who had seemed to have forgotten what he was going to say.  
"I don't mean to intrude, but you seem rather worried. Is something the matter?" he asked her gently, tipping his hat.  
"oh.. well.. the trains have been cancelled and it seems nobody else was foolish enough to try and travel in this storm. I'm afraid I might be stuck here!" The girl stumbled slightly over her words, obviously cold and more than a little frightened.  
Luke empathised completely, and his face fell into an expression of hopeless sympathy, but before he could speak, the Professor spoke again,  
"I say, that will never do. A terrible shame, don't you have somewhere you could stay until the storm passes?"  
"I don't unfortunately, I'm not familiar with London really..." she paused "...I don't mean to be rude but you look a lot like the famous Professor Layton.."  
The man in question smiled, a little wider than was strictly polite,  
"I wouldn't say 'famous', but yes I am Professor Layton"  
"and I'M his Apprentice, Luke!" the frozen boy piped up.  
Beaming, the girl shook hands with them both;  
"Well, well, maybe being stranded isn't such a bad thing. I got to meet you two! It is an honour, I've read all about the mysteries you've been a part of. It really is fascinating.." becoming aware she was rambling the girl stopped herself sheepishly "sorry, I shouldn't gush. It really is lovely to meet you, but if you don't mind, maybe you could show me the way to a nearby hotel?" she asked hopefully, going back to the original point so as not to seem quite so giddy.  
"Certainly my dear, Luke and I are quite familiar with London and there are several places nearby" the ever-helpful Professor Layton reassured her.  
The three set off, back out the station by the opposite entrance and back out into the worsening blizzard. A half hour, and four busy hotels later it was becoming apparent that nowhere nearby had any rooms left. Everywhere was full of people in exactly the young lady's situation, but who had booked their room for the night hours ago.  
"Thank you for all your help, I really can't ask you to stay out any longer," the girl said, looking at Luke, who appeared to be falling asleep on his feet. The professor was about to protest when she cut him off, "don't worry about me, I'll find somewhere to stay! You two need to head home no doubt". She put on a courageous smile, but her eyes betrayed the growing sense of panic she felt inside.  
"Professor.." Luke mumbled up at them, tugging on Layton's sleeve "..can't she just come and stay with us? The house isn't far from here."  
The girl blushed, and made an attempt to refuse, and the Professor stammered something about being too forward, and appropriateness and such things.. but after a minute or two of babble, they both realised that this was probably the only option that didn't involve the young lady being forced to spend the night on the street in the snow.  
"Well, yes, I mean, it may not be a fancy hotel but our house isn't far from here now, and I would hate to see you left without somewhere warm to stay"  
The fear behind her eyes softened, and she agreed to go with them for the night, and promised to repay the favour somehow.  
Professor Layton picked up Luke, who was barely able to walk any further and took the lost girl by the arm. They would all be safely back indoors with a pot of tea soon enough. 


End file.
